Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi (Apr 2020)
Relationships between Academic Achievement, Awareness about the Postgraduate Study and Postgraduate Study Intentions
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the mediating role of awareness about Postgraduate study (PG) in the relationship between undergraduate academic achievement, and the intentions to pursue a PG study. In addition, it was tested whether academic achievement and awareness about PG study predict intentions to PG study. Within the scope of this aim, first of all, the PG study intention and awareness about PG study instrument have been developed for validity and reliability studies. The participants consisted of 415 undergraduate students studying in different grades and programs in a faculty of education of a state university in Turkey. In the analysis of the data, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used. The results of the analysis showed that academic achievement directly predicted the awareness about PG study and the PG study intention. The results of SEM analysis indicated that awareness about PG study played a mediating role in the relationship between academic achievement and PG study intention. This study yielded two findings: first, the academic achievement of undergraduate students and their level of awareness about PG study options play an important role in predicting intentions to pursue a PG study. Second, the awareness of PG study can be a key point in predicting the intentions of undergraduate students to pursue postgraduate research studies. The results suggest that regular awareness-raising workshops and promotions based on PG study options and programs for current undergraduate students for awareness raising in PG study may serve to improve students' current conditions early and positively shape their thoughts and intentions about their future career goals.
Keywords
